Casting-ladle mechanism



Get 2 1923.

J. B. LADD CASTING LADLE MECHANISM Filed Sept. 15

ATTORNEY Fatented Jets 2, lg i Lat-@ 223 JAMES E. LADD, OF ARDMOEE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED STATES CAST IRON PIPE & FOUNDRY COMFANY, OF BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CASTING-LADLE MECHANISM.

Application filed September 15, 1921.

T 0 (ZZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, James B. Leon, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Ardmore, in the county of Montgomery, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Casting-Ladle Mechanism, of which the following is a true and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to casting ladles and has for its object to provide such a ladle with means through which a constant level of molten metal can be maintained in the casting ladle while metal is being poured therefrom into the mold.

My invention is of a special value and importance when used in connection with a centrifugal casting machine of the type described in the German patent to Briede, No. 242,307 of January 4, 1912 and in my co-pending application filed September 13, 1921. Serial No. 500,331; I have shown and described casting ladle appliances adapted to maintain a constant level in the casting ladle in connection with a centrifugal casting machine of the type indicated and in said application I have claimed broadly the combination of said casting ladle mechanism with such casting mechanism. It is, however, true that mechanism for insuring a constant level and head of metal in a casting ladle is capable of other useful employment and my present invention consists of one type of mechanism adapted. for the general purposes indicated and characterized by having the pouring ladle mounted on a balanced support so that it can move up and down with variations of the weight of the metal contained in it, providing a reservoir from which metal can be poured into the casting ladle and means whereby the up and down motion of the casting ladle controls the flow of metal from the reservoir so as to maintain an approximately constant level in the ladle.

The nature of my invention and the special construction of the mechanism in which my present invention is embodied will be understood as described in connection with the drawing which is a partly sectional elevation of my improved mechanism, and in which- A indicates a portion of the framing on which the operative parts are supported Serial No. 509,847.

and which, as shown, consists of two standards A connected by the framing indicated at A and shown in section. A indicates the rest formed in each of the standards A for the knife edge of the balance lever to be described. A indicates trunnion su ports formed at the top of the standards B indicates one of two lever arms supported on the supports A by knife edges B carrying a counterweight B at one end and having trunnion supports at their other ends. B indicates brackets from both of the levers B. C is the casting ladle which in the construction shown has a pouring spout C and trunnions C by which it is supported on the levers B, as shown. C indicates a bracket at the back of the ladle. D is a rock shaft supported-on the bracket B on which is attached the levers D D connected by a link D with a pin on the bracket C E is a reservoir ladle having, as shown, a pouring spout E, trunnions E by which it is supported on the standards A and a bracket E secured at its bottom. F is a power cylinder; F a piston working in this cylinder and having a piston rod F which is connected, as shown, with the bracket E by a link F G is a pipe connection for fluid under pressure connecting through a valve indicated at G with a pipe G leading into the bottom of the cylinder F. G is a lever for controlling the valve G which is connected by an adJustable rod G with a pin G on one of the levers B. H is an exhaust pipe leading from the bottom of the cylinder F, opened and closed by a valve H and lever H The useful feature of my invention lies in the combination of a casting ladle, a balance support for the ladle, a reservoir and means controlled by the up and downmotion of the casting ladle for regulating the flow of metal from the reservoir and maintaining a constant level in the casting ladle while metal is being poured therefrom and in the special form of mechanism illusstrated as embed ing this general invention the ladle C will e filled with molten metal to a definite height while in a position shown in full lines in the drawing and the reservoir E properly charged with metal will, before the mechanism is brought into operation, occupy the position shown in full lines. The casting ladle will be balanced at a definite height by the counter-weight B on lts supporting levers B. It being now positioned to pour metal into a mold the operator will tilt the ladle C to a definite degree by means of the lever D and the action of the toggle formed by the lever D and link D the ladle being tilted for example, to the position indicated in dotted lines in which the metal will flow from the ladle in a stream of definite volume. As the metal flows from the casting ladle its weight decreases and the ladle will rise owing to the action of the counterweight B carrying up with it the rod G which acting on the valve lever G opens the valve G and permits pressure fluid to flow through the pipes G and G into the bottom of the cylinder F where acting on the piston F, and through the piston rod F and link F, the result is to tip the reservoir ladle so that it will pour a portion of its contents in the casting ladle and obviously the degree of rapidity with which the reservoir ladle is tipped will vary with the up and down motion of the casting ladle so that the effect will be to maintain a constant level of molten metal in the casting ladle and therefore to insure that a stream of molten metal of constant volume and head shall flow from it into the mold.

When the mold is charged the valveH' is open, permitting the pressure fluid to exhaust from the cylinder F with the result of restoring the reservoir ladle to the position shown in full lines and, of course, at the same time the lever D is actuated to restore the casting ladle 'to the full line position the apparatus being then in position to begin a new pouring.

Having now deserlbed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: i

1. In combination with a casting ladle, means for maintaining a constant level 0t molten metal therein during pouring consisting of a balanced support for the casting ladle whereby it moves up or down as eeaaaa the weight of metal therein varies, a reservoir adapted to deliver molten metal to the casting ladle and means controlled by the up and down motion of the casting ladle, for controlling the flow of metal from the reservoir so as to maintain the level of metal in the casting ladle approximately constant.

2. In combination with a casting ladle, means for maintaining a constant level of molten metal therein during pouring consisting of a balanced support for the casting ladle whereby it moves up or down as the weight of metal therein varies, means for initiating a flow of metal from the ladle, a reservoir adapted to deliver molten metal to the casting ladle and means controlled by the up and down motion of the casting ladle for controlling the flow of metal from the reservoir so as to maintain the level of metal in the casting ladle approximately constant.

3. In combination with a casting ladle, balanced means for supporting the ladle so that it will move up and down as the weight of metal therein varies, means for tipplng the ladle to a fixed pouring position, a reservoir adapted to deliver molten metal to the casting ladle and means controlled by the up and down motion of the casting ladle for controlling the flow of metal from the reservoir so as to maintain an approximately uniform level in the casting ladle.

4. In combination with a casting ladle, balanced means for supporting the ladle so that it will move up and down as the wei ht of metal therein varies, means for tipping the ladle to a fixed pouring position, a tipping reservoir ladle adapted to deliver mol ten metal to the casting ladle and means controlled by the up and down motion of the casting ladle for controlling the tipping and flow of metal from the reservoir so as to maintain an approximately uniform level in the casting ladle.

JAMES B. LADD. 

